To phase out single-use plastic items, the ministry of environment, forest and climate change said in a release that India will ban the manufacture, import, distribution, stocking, sale and use of the identified polymeric material from July 1, 2022. The announcement came into effect amid rising concerns about climate change. We live in a world of convenience and throw-away tradition. But little hinges swing big doors; small steps can make a significant difference if done consistently. Think about when your dumped straws, plastic bags, cellophane food wrapping, water bottles, glasses, accessories and styrofoam containers are in the open! Plastic Ban in India: Environment Ministry Says, 'Single-Use Plastics Having Low Utility and High Littering Potential Will Be Banned From July 1'.
Have you tried to find where single-use plastics go once we have used them? In short, the synthetic materials populate our landfills after the briefest uses. To avoid creating a scene where plastic wastes are littered by the sides of roads, parks, nature and oceans, use some natural products in daily life as alternatives. We have curated a few examples of eco-friendly substitutes for plastics below.
Tough, durable and easy-to-clean stainless steel can be replaced with plastic kitchen storage, lunch boxes and single-use cups.
Platinum silicone is heat tolerant and thence used for cooking. The primary product used in making the material is sand.
Glass is biodegradable, chemically inactive, infinitely recyclable and cost-friendly. It can be used to store leftovers and homemade edible food items.
The felted item can be swapped with single-use plastic bags as they are made of organic cotton, wool, hemp, or bamboo.
These fast-growing renewable items can be replaced with your plastic brush, cutting boards, tableware, kitchen utensils and drinking straws.
One beeswax food wrap can be used 110-120 times if taken care of. The material smells excellent and can be used instead of plastic wrapping for food items.
Along with these natural and environmentally safe materials, cardboard and paper are compostable items that can be used as an alternative to plastics. Keep in mind that anything you buy has an environmental footprint. According to plastic pollution experts, the solution is not to continue our reliance on single-use products with different materials. But to bring a radical change, we have to avoid single-use products altogether!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 29, 2022 12:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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